Flour-milling machinery.



PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905.

L. W. BBNESH. FLOUR MILLING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10. 1904. 5 SHEETS-411331 1.

I? I52 {MM/ m D W m m I A El l/ouzls WfiezZea PE} 4 Witnesses:

PATBNTED DEG. 12, 1905.

L. W. BENESH. FLOUR MILLING MAGHINBRY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1904.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Inventor,

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Witnesse No. 806,865. PATBNTED DEC. 12, 1905.

L. W. BENESH.

FLOUR MILLING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.10,1904.

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PATENTBD DEC. 12, 1905.

L. W. BENESH. FLOUR MILLING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.10 1904.

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Witness 5 g fr/4 PATENTED DEC. 12, 1905.

' L. W. BENESH.

FLOUR MILLING MACHINERY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10. 1904.

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Witne se KW flulltz ifif V UNITED srarns PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS W. BENESH, OF HOUGHTON, MICHIGAN.

FLOUR-MILLING MACHINERY.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12 1905-.

Application filed August 10, 1904. Serial No. 220,250.

The object of the invention is in a ready,

feasible, and thoroughly-practical manner. to effect a saving in power and to economize floor-space; to reduce the cost of construction of such devices to a minimum; to effect a rapid. positive, and perfect separation of material, and to produce the greatest possible percentage of the highest grade of flour.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction and combination of parts of a combined plan sitter, separator, and purifier, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts, there is illustrated one form of embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that the elements therein exhibited may be varied or changed as to shape, proportion, and exact manner of assemblage without departing from the spirit thereof.

In the drawings, Figure l is a view in side elevation, partly in section, of an apparatusconstructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view in end elevation. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of one of the plan sitters and separators. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is asimilar view taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 3, and looking in the direction of the arrow thereon. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 6 6, Fig. 4, and looking in the direction of the .arrow thereon. Fig.7 is a view in longitudinal section of the purifier. Fig. 8 is a view in end elevation of the purifier. Fig. 9 is a view in vertical section, taken on the line 9 9, Fig. 8, and looking in the direc-' tion of the arrow thereon. Fig. 10 is a view in plan of a portion of the purifier.

these will be given.

The present invention embodies tour plan sitters and separators 1, 2,3, and 4 and a puri fier 5. As each of the plan sitters and separators isthe same in construction and opera* tion, a description of but one will be given. Furthermore, as the various compartments of the purifier are constructed and operatein the same manner a description of but one of This manner of describing the invention is adopted in order to avoid needless repetition of descriptive matter.

The plan sitter and separator 1 comprises a I box-like structure in which are arranged four sieves 6, 7, 8, and 9,-five platforms 10,11, 12, 13, and 14, disposed below the sieves and made, preferably, of zinc, and tour traveling brushes 15, 16, 17, and 18, that coact, respec tively, with the sieves 8 and 9 and the platforms 12 and 14. The pairs of brushes are connected at their ends with pairs of sprocketchains 19 19 and 20 20, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, which engage pairs of sprocket-wheels 21 21 and 22 22, 23 23, and 24 24, carried, respectively, by shafts 25,26, 27, and 28. (Clearly shownin Fig. 3.) Each pair of sprocket-chains has disposed between it a wooden spacer 29 and 30, respectively, which subserve thedouble function of holding the upper leads of the chains from sagging and also of keeping the brushes in engagement with the sieves and the platform with which they coact. Motion is imparted to the shaft 28 through a miter gear 31, carried by a stub-shaft 32, disposed exteriorly of the casing, as shown in Fig. 6, said gear meshing with a single gear 33, carried by the said shaft. This positively drives the shaft 28, and with it the sprocket-chains coacting therewith, thus causing the brushes 17 and 18 to perform their function. To transmit motion from the shaft 27 to the shafts 25 and 26 to drive the sprocket-chains and brushes associated therewith,each of theshatts 25 and 27 carries asprocket-wheel 34 and 35, respectively, which are disposed exteriorly ot the casing and are connected by a sprocketchain 36, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. It will thus be seen that both sets of brushes are driven in unison from a single source of power, thus simplifying the construction of the apparatus, reducing liability of breakage, or damage to a minimum, and minimizing the power necessary to drive this part of the apparatus. The gears 31 and 33, shaft 32,

sprocket-wheels 34 and 35, and sprocket-chain 36 are arrangedin a housing or chamber 37,

disposed to one side of the casing, thus operating to shield these parts and also to prevent entrance of dust to the interior of the casing.

Arranged in the ends of the casing and in alinementwith one terminal of the sieves 6, 7, and 9 and the platforms 12 and 14 are discharge-openings 37 38, 39, 40, and 41, covering which are curved discharge-spouts 42, 43,

. 47, which are supported for rocking and slight oscillatory movements by being projected through slots 48, arranged near the terminals of pairs of horizontal bars 49, disposed substantially in alinement with the ends of the casings and provided at their ends with pintles 50, which are journaled in bearings 51, mounted in the side pieces 52 of the supporting-frame, which latter comprises four uprights 53, two sill-pieces- 54, and two crosspieces 55 for holding the uprights assembled. Each bar 49, as will be readily seen by refer ence to Figs. 1 and 2, is capable of a rocking movement upon its pintles, and by the provision of the slots 48 the arms 47 are capable of a swinging movement transverse to the bars. In order to hold the arms within the bars for swinging movement, pivots or fulcrum-pins 56 are employed, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The upper ends of each of the arms carries a casting 57 which is provided with two sets of orifices extending at right angles to each other, one set of orifices being engaged by pins 58 for holding the casting loosely assembled with the arms and the other set of orifices being engaged by a pin 59 to hold the casting loosely assembled with a second casting 60, the latter castings being secured to the four corners of the casings-that is, to the four corners of the under sides of the casings 1 and 2 and the four corners of the upper sides of the casings 3 and 4. By this arrangement it will be seen that the easings 3 and 4 are suspended from the same means that support the casings 1 and 2, and under this construction each pair of casings at the same end of the apparatus will be moved in opposite directions. To impart rotary and vibratory movements to the casings, there is a crank-shaft 61,supported intermediate of the ends of the casings and at right angles thereto, in this instance by means of bearings 62 and 63, bolted to opposite sides of the frame, pieces 52 and extending from side to side of the apparatus, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Each of the shafts carries at each end a disk, and with the disks are combined wrist-pins 64, 65, 66, and 67, the wrist-pins being pro jected through the bottom of the casings 1 and 2 and through the top of the casings 3 and 4 and work in suitable bearings therein.

Each wrist-pin has secured to its inner end a sprocket-wheel 68, only one of which is shown in Fig. 3, and around this wheel passes a sprocket -chain 69, which passes around a sprocket wheel 7 0, mounted upon the stubshaft 32, and from this source of power sprocket-chains that operate the brushes are driven. Of course it will be understood that the shafts 61 are connected concentrically with the wrist-pin-carrying disks, so that as the said shafts rotate not only are their sprocketwheels driven, but a horizontal rotary and vibratory movement is imparted to the casings,

thus to cause them to perform the functions designed.

Theshafts 61 are driven from the main drive-shaft 71 through the medium of belts 72 and 73, which pass around pairs of pulleys 74 and 75, mounted upon the shaft 71, and around pulleys 76 and 77 on the shafts 61. One of each of the pairs of pulleys 74 and 75 is loose and the other isfixed, and by suitable belt-shifting mechanism (not necessary to be shown) the belts 72 and 73 may be shifted, thus to allow both sets of plan sifters and separators to operate or to allow either one to operate to the exclusion of the other.

Arranged below the plan sifters and separators is the purifying-chamber 5, which is divided into four compartments 78, 79, 80, and 81, and as each of these compartments is constructed in the same manner and performs the same function a description of but one will be given, it being understood that there is a compartment for each of the plan sifters and separators. In this instance the compartment 80 will be described, as this is the one which is shown in sectional detail in Fig. 7. The compartment 80 is a closed casing having its top provided with collars 82, only one of which is shown, for connection with the spouts of the plan sifters and separators. This connection is secured through themedium of flexible tubing, such as is commonly employed in machines of this character for the purpose. WVithin the compartment 80 are arranged three screens of varying degree of fineness, (designated 83, 84, and 85,) three stepped cleaning-platforms 86, 87, and 88, three sets of brushes 89 90, 91 92, and 93 94, three dust-collectors or intake-ducts 95, 96, and 97, three tables 98, 99, and 100, disposed above the dust-collectors, and three dust-removers or outtake-ducts 101, 102, and 103, all as clearly shown in Fig. 7. The

brushes 89 9O coact with the seive 83 and table 98, the brushes 91 92 with the sieve 84 and table 99, and the brushes 93 94 with the sieve and table 100. As with the plan sifter and separator the brushes are carried by sprocket-chains 104, 105, and 106, and between the leads of the chains 104 and 106 are placed wooden spacers 107 and 108, which positively prevent the upper leads of the chains from sagging and also cause the brushes to coact with their respective sieves and tables. The under side of each of the dust-intake ducts 95, 96, and 97is composed of a plate 109, preferably of metal, having transverse orifices 110 and disposed parallel with which are flaring mouths 111, which operate to direct the dust into the ducts. These orifices are-disposed over transverse orifices 112, formed in the cleaning-platforms 86, 87, and

- 88, which latter are supported in any suitable manner within the purifier-casing. The dustcollecting ducts communicate with the upper portion of a trunk 113, the lower portion of which opens into the dust-outtake ducts 101, 102, and 103, and by this arrangement it will be seen that the air passing through the orifices 112 in the cleaning-platform will carry with it the dust directly to the orifices 110, whence it will pass down the trunk and out through the outtake-ducts. By this manner of treating the flour in the purifier-chamber rapid and positive separation therefrom of dust, bran, and the like is secured, so-that when the product leaves either one of the compartments of the purifier itis in the best and purest condition for use.

Combined with each end of each of the cleaning-platforms is a dumping-section 114 and 115, respectively, the dumping-section 114 being held combined with the platform through the medium of a pin 116 and the section being similarly combined with the opposite upturned end of the platform by a pin 117. These platforms are counterweighted by connecting with the rear end of each an arm 118 and 119, respectively, upon which are adjustably mounted counterweights 120 and 121, respectively. The section 114 is dished or trough-shaped in cross-section and operates to discharge the product into a suitable conveyer, (not shown-,) there being a shield or guard 122 disposed beneath the dumping-section in order to limit its downward movement and also to prevent the escape of flour through other compartments of the purifier. These counterweights are disposedexteriorly of the sections, as clearly shown in Fig. 10, and are thus not liable to become deranged in use and to be rendered inoperative .by becoming clogged with flour. The section 115 is curved in amore pronounced manner and has one end extending beneath the table 98. which serves to limit its upward movement, and its other end projecting quite a distance above the table, thus to preclude escape of any flour passing it, and thus into other compartments of the purifier. These dum in -sections are rovided for the urs, p p pose of preventing passage of air around the ing-platform for supply of air.

ends of the cleaning-platform, thus positively to cause the air to pass through the orifices 112, and, further, they permit'the employment of a very low pressure of air-current in effecting purifying of the material. Generally the section 114 will be set to dump when about one pound of flour has been laid thereon and the section 115 when about one and a half pounds of flour have been laid thereon; but these quantities may be varied as found necessary or desirable.

By reference to Fig. 10 it will be seen that the compartments of the purifier are separated by a longitudinal space 123, and in this space is arranged the mechanism for actuating the sprocket-chains of the brushes of the purifier and also openings under each clean- Referring to Fig. 10, the compartments of the purifier are separated by a longitudinal space 107, and in this space is arranged the mechanism for actuating the sprocket-chains of the brushes of the purifier. It will be understood that there will be two sprocket-chains for actuating each pair of brushes; but in this instance one of each is shown, as the construction will be readily understood therefrom. The pair of chains 104 is driven by a pair of sprocket-wheels 124, carried by a shaft 125, the other bends of the chains being passed around the sprocketwheels carried by a shaft 126. The drivingshaft 125, as also the driving-shafts 127 and 128 of each of the succeeding pairs of sprocketchains, enters the adjacent compartments of the purifier on the opposite side and actuates the sprocket-chains of the brushes mounted therein, and as this will be readily understood detailed illustration thereof is deemed unnecessary. Referring to Fig. 1,-the shafts 125, 127, and 128 have their counterparts in shafts 129, 130, and 131, the mechanism for actuating the brushes in all four compartments being precisely the same. The shaft 127 is driven through the medium of a sprocketchain 132, which-passes around a sprocketwheel 133 on the shaft 127 and a sprocketwheel 134 on a shaft 128, journaled below the shaft 127. Around the sprocket-wheel 134 passes a sprocket-chain 136 to and around a sprocket-wheel 137 on a shaft 138, the latter shaft being driven by a chain 138 from a shaft 139, carrying a sprocket-wheel 140,

the sprocket-wheel 140. It will be seen from this that when the crank-shaft is in motion simultaneous motion will be imparted to the sprocket-chains 136 and 141 and from these through the interposed mechanism described to the shafts of the brushes in the two adjacent compartments. The pulley 146 is driven by a belt 150, which engages with a pair of pulleys 151 and 152 upon the main drive-shaft 71, the former of which is tight and the latter loose, so that by the employment of suitable shifting mechanism (not necessary to be shown) the operation of the brushes and of the purifier may be controlled at will.

As stated, each of the compartments of the purifier contains three sections, each consisting of a sieve, brushes, table, dust-collecting duct, dust-outtake duct, and cleaning-platform, and each of these sections is designed to be vibrated independently of the other, thus to cause the thorough purification and separation of the finer material from the coarser. To effect this result, four pairs of arms 153, 154, 155, and 156 are employed, only one of each pair of said arms being shown in Fig. 7, and these arms are fulcrumed intermediate of their ends at 157, 158, 159,

- and 160, respectively, within the purifier.

. which are connected to the fulcrum-bars 161 of the arms 153 to 155, the shanks 164 and 165 of l the yokes being connected with the crank-shaft 145, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Solong, therefore, as the crank-shaft is in operation there will be a slight vibratory motion imparted to all of the sections of the diiferent compartments, causing thorough separation and purification of the material. Combined with each of the compartments is a series of air-inlets 166, which communicate with atrunk 167, into which is tapped a curved duct 168, connecting, through the medium of a pipe 169, with a suitable suction-fan or other suction device. The air-inlets are controlled through the medium of slides 170, operated by rods 171, as clearly shown in Fig. 8, and by manipulating these slides the supply of air to the different sections of compartments of the purifier may be readily controlled. In order to allow the said sections to vibrate, there is a flexible connection 172 in the nature of an accordion-joint connecting the trunk with the outtake-ducts 103. The number of times to which the flour sbass upon the cleaning-platform will be subjected to the action of air from beneath depends entirely upon the number of steps on the platform, and in this instance eight steps are shown; but it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to this number, as a greater or less number may be employed and still be within the scope of the invention. The passage of air through the orifices 112 is controlled by a sliding damper or dampers 173, which may be manipulated from without to control the passage of air, as may be necessary.

As will be seen by reference to Fig. 7, the sections of the cleaning-platform are necessarily spaced to present the orifices 112, and it is therefore essential that means should be employed whereby the flour will be prevented from passing through these orifices. To effect this result, one end of each section is provided with a curved deflector 174, and the adjacent section is provided with an overlapping deflector 175, the end of the latter deflector being projected a suflicient distance beyond the upper edge of the deflectors 174 to preclude possibility of the flour passing in between the sections. The deflector 175 occupies a plane coincident with the upper face of the platform-section with which it is combined, while the deflector 174 projects upward beyond the plane of the platform-section with which it is combined. The discharge-space 176, formed between the overlapped terminals of the deflectors, permits ready escape of air from beneath and upward and also tends to impart a movement of the flour toward the discharge, and by a slight agitation of the particles produced by the action of the air the cleaning action is materially enhanced and rendered more effective and at the same time more rapid.

In the operation of the device the grain after passing through suitable crushing-rolls enters the casing 1 of the plan-Sifter and passes through the scalper-sieve 83. The material which sifts through this .sieve passes down the platform 10 and onto the grits-separating sieve 7, while the material which does not sift through the scalper-sieve passes out through the spout 42 into a conveying-tube and thence to a second pair of crushing-rollers. (Not shown.) The grits which does not sift through the sieve 7 passes out through the spout 45 into a conveyingtube and down into the middle section of the purifier. That which sifts through the grits-sieve slides down the platform 11 and into the smooth flour-sieve 8. The flour which sifts through the sieve 8 passes down the platform 12 and out through the spout 45 into a conveying-tube, While the material that goes over the smooth flour-sieve passesdown the platform 13, thence onto the sharp flour-sieve 9, and the flour which sifts through this sieve slides down the platform 14 and out through the spout 46 to a conveying-tube. The finer stock which does not sift through the sieve 9 passes out the spout 14 into a conveying-tube and down into the upper compartment 1 of the conveyer and on the sieve in that section. The material which sifts through the top sieve 83 of the purifier passes down the table 98 and thence after dumping the door 115 onto the cleaning-platform 86, where it is subjected to vibratory motion and to treatment by air from beneath to remove the bran and any dust present, escapes after tilting the door 114 to a conveying-tube as clean purifier stock. That which does not sift through the sieve 83 passes onto the sieve 84:, through which it sifts to the table 99 and thence to the cleaning-platform 87, where the same action is repeated, and the material escapes through a conveying-tube as another grade clean purifier stock. That which does not sift through the sieve 84 passes onto the sieve 85, and the material which sifts through this sieve is fed down the table 100 to the cleaning-platform 88, whence it passes into a conveying-tube as another grade purifier stock or grits.

In the operation of the device the various brushes employed operate to prevent the sieves from becoming clogged with flour, especially when the same is damp, and also operates to sweep or clear the platforms in the plan sifters and separators and the tables of the purifier and keep them free from any accumulation of flour.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. In a machine of the class described,a supporting-frame, a separating-chamber, horizontally-disposed bars mounted for swiveled movement within the supporting-frame, and arms having their intermediate portions swiveled to the bars, and their terminals connected for lateral and longitudinal movement with the supporting-frame and with the chamber.

2. In a machine of the class described a sieve, acleaning-platform provided with orifices and air-deflecting devices bridging the orifices,

and counterweighted dumping doors combined with'the terminals of the platform.

3. In a machine of the class described,asieve, a table disposed below the sieve, traveling brushes coacting with the table and the sieve to prevent accumulation of flour, a cleaningplatform disposed below the table, and an automatically-operative door for controlling the passage between the table and the platform.

4. In a machine of the class described,asieve,

a table disposed beneath the same, a cleaningplatform below the table, a counterweighted door for controlling the passage between the table and the platform, and asimilar door for controlling the escape of material from the platform.

5. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a plurality of pairs of plan sifters and separators supported thereby, vertical shafts including eccentrics operatively connected with the plan sifters and separators to impart gyratory movements thereto, pulleys carried by the said shafts, a drive-shaft carrying a plurality of pairs of pulleys one of each pair being tight and the other loose upon the shaft, and belts engaging the pnlleys'of the vertical shafts and of the drive-shaft and being independently shiftable into engagement with either the tight or loose pulleys thereon, thereby to cause either pair of plan sifters and separators to operate to the exclusion of the other.

6. Inamachineoftheclassdescribed,asieve, a traveling brush coacting therewith, a table disposed beneath the sieve, a cleaning-platform below the table, a counterweighted door for controlling the passage between the table and the platform, and a similar door for controlling the escape of material from the platform.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS W. BENESH.

WVitnesses:

F. R. HARVEY, JAs. T. HEALY. 

